Many have under estimated the value MOOCs can offer students and at no cost. Feynaman Liang, a 21-year-old attending Dartmouth and Amherst for a dual degree in engineering and biophysics, has completed over 36 massive open online courses and believes that MOOCs have prepared him to be a successful student in college.
Despite common belief, there are MOOC courses taught by professors who have real personal interest in what they teach online. These are the courses Liang enjoys the most as they are thought provoking and educational. Usually you can judge if a class is valuable by their content and testing techniques. If tests are uniform and ask plainly about the text content, this class may not have a great educational impact. On the other side, if test questions are innovative and cause the student to think in depth about a topic, the teacher is most likely more invested in the subject they are sharing.
In addition to preparing for college, students intrigued by areas outside of their comfort zone can easily access MOOCs online. They can choose any subject that sparks their interest and learn more on the topic. This is more beneficial than taking an unfamiliar course in college and possibly adding a failing grade to your record.
Consider a MOOC course the next time you come across a compelling subject you would like to know more about.
Have you taken a MOOCs course? If so, what was your experience like? Positive or negative?
